Excuse me if not in the right forum. I looked in the commercial forum but didn’t get anywhere with my problem. I have a store front that I’ve cleaned three times using glass gleam4 and ecover, but the window still looks dirty. It’s 30 sq ft. I think it’s hard water stains. I would like to try winsol crystal clea 550. I’ve heard it’s an acid solution and could burn the window if not use right. I would like to know if anybody has used it before and if it’s hard to use.
Just use goggles & mask, don’t splash it around. Burns quite hard on exposed skin (from experience). Cordon off the work area. Test it in an unobtrusive corner first. If it isn’t tempered glass, I find you don’t really have a problem. But knowing shop glass, it usually is. Look for the telltale markings in the corner. Go easy, & mop up everything that drips anywhere, Use plenty of water for final clean & flush the whole glass. It burns hairs off wfp’s - just so you know, so use an old brush.
Or…
You could get some Stone Scrub by Stone Pro.
Never used the winsol stuff, and likely wouldn’t either if I had to basically suit up to use it.
Stone pro, works! But its almost necessary to use it with a rotary machine not just by hand… Also clean up is a nightmare!
I once did a job with stone pro and I cleaned it up over and over til I saw no more residue… A few days later I was in the neighborhood and I said heck, Im gonna drive by and take a quick look at that window! I was like WTF??? There was white residue everywhere!!! It had re appeared!!! Got on the phone with my client and I said hey listen I just saw the window and the residue has reappeared! And I’m very embarrassed! So she said yeah well, I have not seen it since you cleaned it and it looked great!!!
So I got off and re cleaned the frames and even the plants near the window! Til this day she is still my client and have had many referrals from Mrs. Brown- had I not checked that might not have been the case!
Since that day, My Stone Scrub sits collecting dust! I just don’t trust it anymore.
dude… one restore. just try it and you’ll be done in like five minutes. safe, effective, low risk.
Yes, it has Damascus earth in it. So that is the “white residue” you see. They tell you to wash and squeegee like normal to get the product off, but it is better to wipe it off with towels to avoid the issues with Damascus earth in it. THEN wash as normal.
Yeah, a rotary tool and a hogs hair pad works best. If a guy didn’t want to spend 400 on a Makita buffer, you can go with less expensive options to start out.
Do you mean diatomaceous earth ?
Yup. Exactly.
Good, I ask because I have a hard water clean up to do. Have you used this? How did it work? I know, lots of rinsing, otherwise?
Its good for mild staining, and use it with a rotary and thats pretty much it! Have fun
Yes, I have and do use it. It’s a great product, in a great product line, IMO.
Variable speed Buffer, Velcro pad driver, and hogs hair pads. Poof, no more hard water stains. Doesn’t take GOBS of it either. Wipe up with towels as best you can.
You can get it direct from Stone Pro/Hard Rock tool in Cali, or from the “J”.
keep in mind 550 is one of the craziest most hazardous things a window cleaner could ever work with
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Mild is what I got and expensive plants underneath. No acid on this job.
thanks for the info Karlosdaze. I’m thinking of using a squirt bottle and spraying my applicator with the crystal clear. Apply to the window let set for 20 or 30 sec. Then dip my applicator back into my cleaning solution clean and squeegee off the glass. Do you think this will work.
You could try Diamond Magic.
Is Diamond Magic better than One Restore?
No. It will for sure remove the water spots but you have to check the glass with a blue light to see if the water spots are on the tin side of the glass. If they are CC 550 will react with the tin and haze the glass (AKA Tin etch haze). CC 550 is a strong acid that is very dangerous. Water does not neutralize it but rather just dilutes it, so it is necessary and recommended per the instructions on the label. The acid can also react with the surrounding surfaces so caution is advised. I would not use it for this job.
One restore is an option but will not remove certain staining on glass so it may be hit and miss.
Your best bet and the option I would go with is a polishing compound like the one from stone pro. It looks like a good product and the reps seem to know their stuff and seem very active with their customer base insuring that they are likely to back their product. the bennefit to using a polish is that a good quality one will always work on all stains that can be removed so no risk of it not working like with a chemical that may not react effectively with the type of staining.
The risk with polishes is getting one that is to abrasive and it can leave swirl marks (fine scratches on the glass). Even though many products designed for glass a marketed for glass they often have this problem. Another great quality product is Presto restoration products designed for building restoration: BUILDING RESTORATION PRODUCTS They are great products. Also Dan fields has a great glass polish that will not scratch the glass.
I would go with a good quality polish which is sure to work. Remember to seal the glass afterward to protect it from future staining, which will develop even worse after restoring the glass if not sealed.
Thats like comparing apples to oranges. Diamond magic is a polishing compound and One restore is a chemical mix of cleaning agents and acids. They work differently so it is hard to compare them.
